Kaduna Courts Sentence Three for Misappropriation and Internet Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully secured the convictions of Benjamin Apagu, Francis Dung Yusuf (a.k.a Richard Miller), and David Bini Semen (a.k.a Rose Kelly).

These convictions were handed down by Justices Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, and R.M Aikawa and Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court, sitting in Kaduna.

The trio faced separate one-count charges prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the EFCC. Apagu was charged with misappropriation and obtaining by false pretences, while Yusuf and Semen were charged with impersonation, retention of proceeds of crime, and obtaining by false pretence.

The charge against Apagu stated: “That you, Benjamin Apagu, in October 2022, in Kaduna, Kaduna State, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court, dishonestly misappropriated property totalling N1,919,000.00 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Nineteen Thousand Naira) belonging to Benedict Yashim Bakut, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 293 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017, and punishable under Section 294 of the same law.”

Yusuf’s charge read: “That you, Francis Dung Yusuf (a.k.a Richard Miller), in 2024 at Jos, Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, retained the sum of Five Hundred United States Dollars ($500.00) acquired from Cathy Rinaldi by falsely presenting yourself as Richard Miller. This amount constituted proceeds of an unlawful act, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(D) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”

Upon hearing the charges, all three defendants pleaded guilty. Prosecution counsel M.E. Eimonye urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Justice Khobo sentenced Apagu to 10 years imprisonment or a fine of N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira). Additionally, Apagu was ordered to restitute the sum of N1,919,000.00 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Nineteen Thousand Naira) to his victim.

Justice Aikawa sentenced Yusuf to four years imprisonment or a fine of N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira), while Justice Buhari sentenced Bini to eight years imprisonment or a fine of N450,000.00 (Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).

In addition to their prison sentences, Yusuf and Bini were ordered to forfeit an iPhone 13 Pro Max and an iPhone 7, respectively, to the federal government. Both internet fraudsters were among 34 individuals arrested by the Commission in Jos, Plateau State, in June 2024.